Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-10-08

is simply misleading assertion which has
been reiterated and sent broadcast on the
wings of almost all our religious journals into
the minds and hearts of the members of our
churches, innocent as children upon this
matter.
I would remind you that the position of
the board itself to day, the position which I
believe the great majority of men sitting be-
hind me on this platform hold respecting the
method of divine grace to the heather, is
almost as far different from that in support
of which and in view of which this board
was organized as that which is reprobated in
the discussion here to-day. (Applause.)
The view of Gods grace to the heather
world which has just been set forth by my
brother, DR.. Taylor, was not the view of the
founders of this board. That theology is as far
almost from the views entertained by the
founders of this board as the view which you
are asked here to-day to repudiate and to put
the stamp of your rejection upon.
Sir, times are changed. We have come to
one of the periods Of agitation upon theo-
logical question in respect to which it seems
to me the wise course is to hold the position
of neutrality which has characterized the
history of the board in times past. This
board has seen the waters agitated before. 1t
has seen many a theological controversy
sweeping over this land. Christian men
have been separated from one another upon
other questions as sharply as they are now
theological institutions have stood face to
face with one another, shaking their fists at
each other in Christian way for fifty years
divided on question which separated men
from one another and sundered Christian
hearts and was deemed to involve ques-
lions deep as those which are pre-
sented to us to day; and yet the board
never raised the question in the examination
of any candidate, but sent indifferently the
representatives of the schools of Tyler and
Taylor to preach the common gospel to the
heather world. (Applause.) We have in
that conspicuous example and illustration
of the position which should characterize us
to day.
The central position of theology, we are
told to-day, is shifted by the acceptance of
this view. Oh, how many times it has been
shifted Over and over again have views
been presented to the church of Christ which
it was said would revolutionize the whole sys
tenn of Christianity. And yet, dear friends,
we are met to-day little company loyal to
this Christian system and intent on promot-
ing it, and wide over all this world are those
whom we represent, and only feebly repre-
sent-loyal to the same purpose and
intent on the propagation of the old dear
gospel of Gods love to dying men. And if
there is anything which seems to me to
threaten the possibility of our success in this
matter it is precisely such scenes as we are
witnessing just now, such sent home sad
dened hearts last year from Des Moines, such
as will send many saddened hearts home from
this meeting. Dear friends, why cannot we
rise to the simple, calm, grand commission of
Jesus Christ in his message, go preach this
gospel of love and grace of God to men,"
without splitting and dividing upon philo-
sophical explanations of the plan of grace?
tremendous and repeated applause.)